Base de données de recherche des TNO

Régions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area, Sahtu Settlement Area, Dehcho Region, North Slave Region, South Slave Region, Qikiqtaaluk Region

étiquettes: teachers, Mackenzie River

Objectif(s): To gain input from practicing NWT elementary school teachers about the design features for an online learning environment and resource focused on the Mackenzie River and system.

Description du projet: The objectives of this research are: (1) to gain input from practicing NWT elementary school teachers about the design features for an online learning environment and resource focused on the Mackenzie River and system; (2) to develop a prototype of a WWW site for use by teachers and students in learning about the Mackenzie River; and (3) to field test the prototype WWW site with representative educators in order to refine the prototype for ultimate full scale implementation. The website will be part of a Mackenzie River Education Kit available for loan to NWT educators through the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre. This research seeks to answer the following questions: 1. In the perspective of NWT classroom teachers, what WWW site design elements, will facilitate online learning about the Mackenzie River. 2. How can a website present whole system environmental education information and multiple perspectives in virtual formats? 3. What website design components are seen by educators as most likely being effective in helping students make bridging connections between virtual and physical rivers? This research will be a case study of the design and development of an interactive online learning environment to support teaching and learning about the Mackenzie River System. Contact will be made with school principals in communities in the NWT. Principals will be asked to distribute the information about the project with a request for interested educators to contact the Principal Investigator directly. Additionally, information about the research project will be posted on e-learn the Government of the NWT’s internal intranet site for teachers across the NWT. Interested teachers will be asked to participate in interviews during an NWT Teachers Association Conference. Interviews will be conducted in person, onsite at the conference, such as through the pre-arranged use of a private room, suitable for the interviews and to ensure teacher anonymity. A schedule will be made ahead of the conference with interested teachers. Additional teachers and educators will be recruited during the conference. Project information and consent forms will be provide before any on site interviews. Interviews will be semi-structured and guided by a series of open-ended topics. These topics include: Teachers needs and constraints in using online materials and what they would like to see as features of such a website. Interviews will be recorded digitally and transcribed. Copies of the transcribed interviews will be provided to the teachers to review and make additions and changes as needed. To ensure accuracy and trustworthiness of the results, participants will be asked to give feedback on transcribed interviews. This feedback will help to establish the accuracy of perceptions and conclusions in the findings. A list of recommendations and specifications for a prototype website will be created based on findings from the interviews. Pseudonyms will be used for interviews unless interviewees explicitly state on the consent form that they would like their real names used. The prototyping phase of the study will involve the development of a draft website based on results of the interviews. This prototype will be shared with the teachers previously interviewed for their use. Follow up telephone interviews, approximately 1-hr in length with the teachers along with feedback from museum staff, will allow further refinement of the design specifications and final recommendations. Local teachers and educators will be asked to contribute to the research through interviews that will be organized for the NWT Teacher's Association Conference at the end of September. Teachers may reside in any community in the NWT. Website design specifications will be made based on the interviews with local teachers. Recommendations for a revised version of the website will be made in a summary report. This revised public website will be part of a Mackenzie River Education resource available for loan to NWT educators through the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre. A report with research findings and recommendations will be provided to the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre, to NWT Education boards and to all participants in the study. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from September 19, 2014 to December 31, 2014.